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EXAM
STRESS : NATURAL FEELING LEARN TO DEAL WITH
IT*
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Stress
_ Points to Ponder
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Stress comes in all forms and is an unavoidable
consequence of life. Transient feeling of
anxiety and Stress is part of life for every
individual.
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In
the course of normal development transient
feeling of anxiety is experienced and usually
mastered by every child and adolescent.
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Anxiety
may be focused around certain issues or
situation.
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A
mild degree of anxiety and stress may be
stimulating and motivating, and may help
to overcome stress; but high degree of stress
may be disrupting.
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The
idea is to function with a level of stress
that is life enhancing, not life threatening.
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Examinations
and interviews are undoubtedly situation,
which call for stress.
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Every
child goes through such situations and learns
to cope up with stress arising out of them.
They are also learnt by imitation of the
parents or parent figures.
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Appearing
for examination : is one of very common
situation, which an adolescent finds difficult
of cope up with.
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Right
approach and right coping strategies may
stimulate an adolescent to over come anxiety
and maximize own performance in the examination.
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Stress
is the body's response to any unpleasant
situation.
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Anything
can cause stress as long as it is perceived
as unpleasant.
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However,
some stressful event, such as a close contest
in sport, can bring out the best in people.
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Common
Physical reaction during exam preparations:
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Muscle
tension |
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Indigestion |
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Sleep difficulties |
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Repaid uneven or pounding heartbeat |
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Frequent urge to pass urine |
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Fast, shallow breathing |
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Chest discomfort |
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Change in appetite, |
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Constipation or diarrhea |
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Backache |
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Psychological
Reaction to Stress
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Feeling
under pressure frustration and aggression
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Feeling
tense and unable to relax |
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Feeling
mentally drained out |
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Fussy,
gloomy or suspicious being constantly
frightened or irritable |
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Inability
to concentrate or complete the task. |
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Eating
Healthy
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Balancing food choices over time is
what counts. |
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Breakfast provides the energy needed
through an active morning |
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Children who skip breakfast may have
trouble concentrating |
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Fast food supply more fat, salt & calories
that good nutrition |
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Fast food is moderation won 't ruin
a healthful diet, especially when consumed
with green salads. |
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Replace finger chips with an apple |
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Add roughage to your diet - Dalia, Corn
etc. will help prevent stomach discomfort
and you will feel lighter. |
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The golden rule for food safety is to
keep hot foods hot& cold foods cold. |
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Parents should teach good habits by
example. |
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Good
Sleep - Good Exam.
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Insomnia
( The inability to fall or stay asleep)
Can be caused by Stress & anxiety of
Exam. |
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Disturbances of 'sleep- wake' cycle
during exams. |
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If sleep struggles continue, talk them
over with your doctor . |
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Exercise
and Physical Activity
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Walk or cycle 15 minutes a day at least
thrice a week. |
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Avoid sitting cross - legged on the
ground because this is bad for your
knees. |
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Avoid being a couch potato. |
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Cut out junk food and control your weight.
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Swim or play a sport at least twice
a week. |
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MIND
GAMES TO PLAY ….. and think about
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Develop systematic problem - solving
skills. How do you do that ? |
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Identify the stressful situation |
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Define it as an objective, a problem
that can be solved. |
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Brainstorm solutions - think of all
the possible options but don't evaluate
them. |
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Anticipate the possible outcomes of
each solution. |
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Choose a solution and act on it. |
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THE
MUST DO'S FOR STUDENTS
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Know your concentration span, Study
with breaks.
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2.
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work out best time for concentration
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3.
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group study for difficult subjects.
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4.
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Do Not let pervious results discourage
you-identify your weak areas from
previous exams and work on them.
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5.
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Time Management plan must be made
for all subjects.
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6.
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Choose a study place with minimum
distractions and auto suggest to your
self about your resolution.
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7.
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Try to coincide study time with the
time, you would be giving an exam.
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8.
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In case of average achievers, master
what you know and are comfortable
with.
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9.
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for low achievers, master the essential
information first .
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10.
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Prioritize the workload. Give your
best concentration time to the toughest
subject.
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11.
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repeat your learnt work so the recall
in exam is easy. Work not repeated
or revised is easily forgotten.
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12.
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Try to plan your revision time by
drawing up a timetable. Build in time
for the things you enjoy - like watching
your favourite TV programme, going
out with your friends, or going to
play football in the park.
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13.
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give yourself a few treats - pamper
yourself with a long hot bath, or
listen to your favourite CD for an
hour after you have finished your
revision.
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14.
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Relax with what you know before entering
the exam hall.
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15.
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Do not get anxious about the result
- cross that bridge when you come
to it --- options await.
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"Active"
Study Strategies
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when
studying you can Recite You could
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Describe or explain aloud any topic
in your own words. |
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Teach or explain the information to
someone else ( or record into a tape
recorder ) or, |
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Engage in simulation or role play. |
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When
studying, you can WRITE you could
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Make a chapter study Review Card (
Use an index card: include special
vocabulary, main ideas, examples,
key events and people, causes, result
and so on )
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Make and use a set of flashcards (
vocabulary and definition, math problems
and solutions, questions and answers
and so on),
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Make list of related information by
categories ( causes results, important
event or concepts, main ideas examples,
key people and so on and recite them,
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Draw a diagram, map a sketch, or a
chart; do this from memory and check
your notes or books for accuracy,
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Write questions you think will be
on the test and recite the answers,
Create a mnemonic to remember, information
( such as please Excuse My Dear Aunt
Sally, used for order of operations
in solving an equation - Parenthesis
- Exponent - Multiply - Divide - Add
- Subract )
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Graphic Organizers: Graphic organizers
and semantic maps ( word maps ) which
offer a visual representation of ideas.
When students organize and design
these maps, they apply important analytical
skills as they think about how ideas
are interrelated. Abstract information
is put into concrete and visual form
which can be pictured in one's mind
and more readily retrieved later.
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When
Studying, you can VISUALIZE You Could
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Your
eyes and " picture in your mind" any
chart, diagram, word, map event, time
period, scene, experiment or character
(from a Story) that you are trying
to remember.
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The
Must DO's For Parents
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Student can fail to do well if they
fail to cope with stress. Parents
should guide their children in planning,
organizing and setting a time-table.
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To
Avoid a Stress situation for the child
the parents must provide right kind
of motivation and a conducive environment.
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Helpt the child to develop self -
discipline, self-direction, self -
confidence and a sense of achievement.
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just good schooling and tuition are
not substitutes for emotional cushioning.
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Help the child in maintaining his
confidence especially when he seems
discouraged by his dropping marks
or grades. Do not displace your anxiety
on the child.
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6.
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The achievement goals should be realistically
set according to the child's capability.
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7.
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Do not mix academic issues with family
conflicts.
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praise your child when he does well.
Encourage child's performance with
positive statements like, "well done"
" you can do better" rather than saying
"that was not enough"
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work out our child's schedule with
him instead of nagging him. There
could be learning problems.
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10.
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Do Not harp on pervious failures or
results
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11.
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under achievement may be due to some
children believing it is safer not
to try than to try and fail.
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12.
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if achievement expectations are too
then some children would prefer to
be criticized for being lazy than
being considered not good enough.
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Humour relieves tension. Be light
and humorous with the child.
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Try to gain your child's confidence
and discuss his problems with him,
help him to find a solution
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exams are not the end of the world
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16.
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accept that expectation for everyone
to do well is unrealistic as many
won't pursue this for long.
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Key
Messages
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The
5 "A's" for Controlling the Exam Stress
: Acknowledging, Appreciating, Alleviating,
Altering & Avoiding.
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Acknowledge
the stress and strain because every
one faces it. In everyday life, stress
manifests as mental or physical tension,
which you would rather not have, recognize
stress as inevitable.
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Appreciating
what causes your stress. Then,
instead of blaming yourself or failing
of cope; you end up pinpointing the
real problem and tackling that.
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Alleviating
: the pressures is all about resorting
to simple stress-busting techniques.
Perhaps you have a calming visual
to look at when you need a mental
escape from your surrounding. Or you
may relax your muscle before you go
to sleep.
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Altering
: your lifestyle is the next step
towards Exam Stress. Once you've seen
the benefits of relaxation, it will
encourage you to develop more permanent
ways of reducing stress. If stress
continues to be persistent, either
you haven't tried the major stress
alleviating formulae or alternately
your haven't kept them up long enough
to deliver the needed result.
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Avoiding
: last step is the toughest but
also the most beneficial. You have
to start avoiding stress building
habits and burnouts. Avoid smoking
- a serious stress builder exercise
briefly but regularly, make an effort
to maintaining a normal weight, eat
regular balanced meals and get adequate
sleep.
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MOST
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON EXAMS
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How
do I deal with exam related stress?
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Recognize
your negative thoughts. Once you closely
examine these thoughts you'll see how unrealistic
they are. Challenge the thoughts that say
you are a failure and that you can't succeed.
Remind yourself that it was just another
exam and with effort, you will do better
in your next attempt.
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What
if I do badly?
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Replace
self-criticism with self - correction. Judging
yourself harshly now won't help you do better
in the future. Take the position of an observer.
What if a good friend told you he had failed?
Would you call him a failure ? most probably
you would emphasize his good points and
help him put the situation in perspective.
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How
do I deal with my family's disappointment
if my result is not good ?
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Be
open and honest with them. Share what you
feel about the result and what you think
went wrong. Reassure them of your concern
and efforts. Above all, do not have a negative
bias against your parents because some times
they need more reassuring than you do.
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What
if I don't get the marks I'm expecting?
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Concentrate
on your achievements and be realistic about
your expectations as well. Usually we know
when we have made a mistake, so take these
into account while drawing up expected marks.
If you are still dissatisfied with the results,
the option of rechecking is always open.
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We
have heard of irregularities in the assessment
system. What if my marks are adversely affected?
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Have
faith in the system. There will always be
rumours about unfair checking, but one cannot
ignore the fact that results over all these
years have more often than not, been fair.
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I
think there is too much pressure can't cope
with it.
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Take
professional help. If you feel that there
is pressure and you are unable to handle
it and your self-esteem is coming down and
you are unable to cope, then you must consult
a psychiatrist to help you tide over this
phase.
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Everyone
tells me to concentrate on my studies.
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Don't
stop enjoying life. One of the common mistake
an individual makes is to totally changes
his lifestyle. This is under the assumption
that if he isolates himself from all leisure
and fun times with friends and family and
only study, then he will do better.
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How
much sleep is required?
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The
human body requires an average of 8 hours
of sleep per day but there is no hard and
fast rule. Each one of us has to understand
our body rhythm and know by trial and error
how many hours of sleep keeps us fit.
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What
happens if we sleep less than what our body
requires?
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If
you sleep less for a day or two your body
copes up by taking more sleep over next
two days. If continued for long then the
body gets into what is known as sleep debt.
Then you get symptoms of feeling tired and
sleepy, headaches, body aches, poor digestion,
inability to concentrate, irritability,
short temperedness etc.
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Should
I study in the morning or at night?
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First
understand whether you are an owl or a lark.
IF you can get up early in the morning and
feel fresh then you must sleep early and
get up early and study. If on the other
hand you can study later at night but cannot
feel fresh when you get up early to study
then you must sleep late after studying
and get up later in the morning.
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How
to get good night sleep?
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Try
to keep a fixed time every night for sleeping
as far as possible Avoid afternoon prolonged
sleeping, a short nap may be helpful. One
hour before bedtime avoid stimulating your
sensory system by too much noise like loud
music, too much TV, arguments or fights.
Three hours before sleep time avoid taking
any food or liquids, which contain caffeine,
like aerated cold drinks, drinks containing
chocolate.
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To
keep awake for studying students drink lots
of coffee. What is the harm?
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Caffeine
in small doses acts as a stimulant and keeps
you awake, so a cup once a day may be OK,
Excessive coffee drinking gives side effects
like tremors, fast pulse rate, irritability
and stomach pain. Coffee also causes addiction.
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Why
exercise during exam time?
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Most
children will say they have no time for
exercise during exam days. They are already
stressed out with lack, oftime how can they
waste time in exercise? The fact is that
exercise is all the more necessary during
exam time because not only is it a " stress
buster" but also has many other health benefits
needed to keep fit during exam.
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What
are the various forms of exercise ?
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Aerobic
exercise running, jogging, swimming and
specific aerobic exercises like strength
training, lifting weights and working on
machines. Resistance or strength training
increase lean body mass which includes muscles,
these in turn burn more energy daily as
compared to fat mass, more muscles means
more strength and Add helps to tone muscles
and improve endurance. It reduces risk of
osteoporosis so makes our bones very strong.
Exercise increases co-ordination and reduces
risk of injuries resulting from weak muscles.
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How
does exercise help ?
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Regular
aerobic exercise ( Swimming, bicycling,
jogging ) improves the function of our cardiovascular
system. This makes the circulation better,
the lungs process oxygen more effectively
so you have less exertion. Heart pumps blood
with fewer heart beats ( the athletes pulse
is always slow) it stimulates the growth
of capillaries that increase blood supply
hence better oxygenations to muscles. All
this makes your body more efficient and
give your more endurance capacity giving
you more stamina for working so that you
can sit longer hours without discomfort.
This will make you study harder and better.
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How
does exercise help you be better mentally?
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Regular
aerobic exercise releases some good chemicals
in our body. These are called endorphins.
These make you feel happy. They counter
the effect of streets, depression and anxiety
that all students suffer from during exam
time. So after exercising you get a "Natural
kick " which is longer lasting and safe
unlike drugs or stimulants like caffeine.
It also helps you in weight loss and that
will make you feel good about your self.
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Diet
During exams:
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Diet
is very important during teenage years,
improper diet will lead to poor growth and
vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
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What
happens If you miss breakfast?
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If
you miss breakfast them by the time you
have lunch nearly 10+12 hours have gone
by after your last meal. This means your
blood sugar level has gone and you have
nothing to provide your body with energy.
This low blood sugar or hypoglycemia causes
short term memory problems, difficulty in
concentration problem solving.
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DO
NOT MISS LUCNH if you do so your blood
sugar level will again dip down and you
will have all symptoms of hypoglycemia and
will not be able to perform after lunch
hours. You will be also be very fatigued
by the time you come home and will not be
able to study in the evening.
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DO
NOT HAVE A VERY HEAVY DINNER
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You
will feel very heavy and sleepy and will
not be able to study well.
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*Excerpted
from : Exam Stress; by child development
and Adolescent Health Center VIMHANS
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